Air-brake mechanism.



J. B. WRIGHT & P. 0. LAWSON.

AIR BRAKE MECHANISM. 7

APPLICATION FILED EAR. 2a, 1913.

1,1 15,645, Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

I e e THE NORRIS PETERS 60., FHOTO-LITHJ. WASHINGTON. D. C4

UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN B. WRIGHT AND FRANS O. LAX/VSON, F GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA.

AIR-BRAKE MECHANISM.

v To all whom itomay concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN B l/Nnronr and FRANs O. Lawson, citizens of the United States, residing at Greensboro, in the county of Guilford and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Im' provements in Air-Brake Mechanism; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXact description of the same, reference being'had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification,

and to the figures and letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to brake mechanism for railway vehicles and more especially to mechanism for automatically setting the brakes of such vehicles when any abnormal displacement of the vehicle trucks with relation to the body of the vehicle occurs, as, for example, by the displacement which would occur by a partial or complete derailment of the truck.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a quick acting device for bleeding the train pipe to thereby set the brakes, the action of the device while inaugurated by the abnormal displacement before referred to, being completed and the full operation of the brakes insured by the.

train pipe pressure.

A further object of the invention is to provide a structure in which the controlling valve will be pressure operated and the mechanical devices under the control of the parts intermediate the body and truck of the car will simply serve to control the admission of pressure for operating the valve, the structure also preferably embodying a means whereby pressure for operating the controlling valve will be maintained so long as any pressure remains in the train pipe.

The accompanying drawing is a sectional elevation through a brake controlling mech anism embodying the presentimprovements, the parts being shown in the position assumed by them when the valve is operated to bleed the train pipeand set the brakes.

Owing to the fact that the location and arrangement of devices of'this character are now well understood, it has been deemed un necessary to illustrate even diagrammatically the car body and truckframe, but it will be understood that the casing A and the train Specification of Letters Patent.

pipe B which is attached to and communicates therewith are secured to the car bodyv usually in a verticalposition, as shown in the drawing, while the cooperating member C is attached to the bolster and in position to co-act with an operating member to; be presently described.

The casing A is divided into aplurality f Patented Nov.-3,1914. Application filed March 28, 1913. Serial No. 757,479.

of chambers with the larger one a ofwhichQ the train pipe is in direct communication. Below the chamber a there s a second chamber, preferably a cylindrical chamber D in forming the lower end of a tubular valve stem 6, having the valve disk or headET on its upper end. The valve E is adapted to seat against a transverse partition G, prefwhich, there is adapted to work a piston E erably formed separate from the casingA I and inserted therein, as shown. The trans verse partition G also serves as the guide for the valve and has therein the escape passage.

for the pressure from the train pipe and chamber a. For the purpose mentioned, the said partition G is formed with an internal annular passagev g with radial openings 9- leading through the-casing and the valve stem below the head of the valve is provided with lateral guide wings 6 between which i the air may escape when the valve is raised to the position shown in the drawings, but when said valve is seated against the parti' tion the escape opening will. be completely closed. I i

Working vertically through the cylindrical valve stem ev is the stem h of a supplemental valve H, adapted to seat against the upper face of the valve E so as to normally close the opening through the stem, but capable of being elevated or lifted against the tension of its spring I so as to permit pressure to flow through the valve stem and into the cylinder 1), whereby the main valve IE will be lifted. Obviously, whenothe supplemental valve is open or even slightly lifted from itsseat the train pipe pressure will immediately act to lift both valves to the position shown in the drawings,

thereby insuring a quick and full opening any of the forms heretofore used for operating brake controlling valves, the form illustrated is preferred, inasmuch as it embodies advantages not possessed by previously invented operating members. This operating member embodies a depending rod or stem K having at its upper end a flanged head K adapted to seat within the lower end of the casing A usually upon an inwardly projecting'fiange A of the casing, the arrangement being such that the operating member K may be thown into an inclined position in any direction by pressure ina horizontal plane or it may be lifted vertically, any movement in the directions mentioned serving to lift the supplemental valve H through the cooperation of the head K with the head it on the valve stem, as illustrated, for example, by the dotted lines in the drawing. The operating member K extends through an opening in the cooperating member G, and above the member C it is provided with transversely arranged shoulders formed by a cross piece whereby relative upward movement of the memberC will lift the operating member and unseat the supplemental valve. Below the cooperating member C the operating member is provided with an inclined face or portion Y which, should relative downward movement of the cooperating member C occur, will serve to swing the operating member to one side, as shown for example by the dotted lines to thereby unseat the supplemental valve.

Should complete separation of the members K and C occur, the operating member K is directed back into its proper position by the entry of its extremity into the opening in the member C, thus overcoming all danger of the destruction of the parts, should the ,car body be jacked up away from the trucks, in making repairs, and again allowed to assume its normal position with out due attention being paid to the brake controlling mechanism.

In the preferred construction, a lock is provided for holding the supplemental valve in its elevated position and conveniently such lock takes the form' of a spring-pressed pin L, the inner end of which is adapted to enter an annular channel or groove in the valve stem, while its outer end is provided with a ring or other suitable means whereby it may be released to. permit the parts to resume their normal positions.

' Vith a device such as described, it will be seen that when the brake controlling valve has once been operated or opened, it will remain in its operated or opened position, or be held in such position by the train pipe pressure itself, thus insuring a correct setting of the brakes, even though the abnormal displacement should be too slight to of itself fully open the valve, and furthermore the brakes will be operated or set, even though the accident should be of such character that when the abnormal movement occurs it is followed by such a relative displacement of the parts that the operating member resumes its normal position with relation to the valve casing. For example, with the present device the brakes will be set and held, in case of a partial derailment of the truck, immediately followed by a com plete derailment, whereby the car body and truck will be caused to re-assume practically their normal relative positions, although the truck is entirely off of the rails.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by LettersPatent of the United States, is:

1. In a derailment controlling mechanism for railway brakes, the combination with a main train pipe valve controlling the setting of the brakes, a pressure actuated piston for operating said valve, and a supplemental valve for admitting pressure to said actuating piston, of an operator for the supplemental valve, and a cooperating member for co-acting with saidoperator, said valve and the cooperating member being adapted to be located one on the car body and the other on the bolster.

2. In a derailment controlling mechanism for railway brakes, the combination with cooperating members adapted to be located respectively on the car body and bolster, a main train'pipe valve for controlling the application of the brakes, a pressure actuatedpiston for operating said valve, a supplemental valve for admitting pressure to said actuating piston, means for holding the supplemental valve in its open position, and means whereby the cooperating members will inaugurate the opening of the snpplemental valve when subjected to abnormal relative movement.

3. In a derailment controlling mechanism for railway brakes, the combination with the casing with which the train pipe communicates, a valve in said casing for controlling the escape of train pipe pressure, said valve'having a tubular valve stem, and an actuating piston thereon, of a supplemental valve extending through said tubular valve stem for admitting pressure to the under side of the actuating piston for operating the valve, and means whereby the movement of the supplemental valve may be inaugurated by an abnormal relative movement of the operating parts.

4. In a derailment controlling mechanism for railway brakes, the combination with the valve casing, transverse partition mounted therein and cylindrical chamber below said partition, of a main valve seating against the partition and having a tubular stem extending through the same, an actuating piston on the lower end of said stem, an escape passage controlled by the valve,

of a supplemental spring pressed valve seatthe main valve is to be operated for setting ing on the main valve for controlling the the brakes.

admission of train pipe pressure below the JOHN B WRIGHT.

piston, a supplemental valve stem extending I through the tubular stem of the main valve, FRANS LAWSON and means coi perating with said supple- Witnesses:

mental valve stem for moving the same to N. G. WHITz,

admit pressure to the said cylinder when 0. L. GRUBBs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained forfive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

